Fines Creek Bluegrass Jam to benefit local scholarships

Get ready for two evenings of bluegrass music and wholesome family fun on Friday, Aug. 27, and Saturday, Aug. 28, on the grounds behind the old Fines Creek School. Sponsored by the Fines Creek Community Association to raise funds for college scholarships, the Bluegrass Jam will be held rain or shine.

Top musicians such as Balsam Range, a local group known nationally in the bluegrass field, and Raymond Fairchild, a world-renowned banjo player, will headline the performances on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Steve Brown and his band, Hurricane Ridge, will host the event, with Brown also serving as master of ceremonies. Other groups performing include Out of the Blue, Hominy Valley Boys, Runners of the Green Laurel, Hazel Creek and Buncombe Turnpike.

The audience will also be treated to special appearances by The Southern Appalachian Cloggers, Dixie Darlin’ Cloggers, and The Fines Creek Flat Footers.

Pit-cooked barbecue, fish dinners, old-fashioned funnel cakes and cotton candy, in addition to hot dogs, hamburgers, sausage and Philly cheese steak sandwiches will be available. A portion of the profits will be donated by McLeod’s Concessions to the Fines Creek Community Association.

The Fines Creek Community Center is located at 190 Fines Creek Rd, off exit 15 on Interstate 40.

Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs. Tents will be set up and some chairs will be available for a small rental fee.

Ticket prices are $15 per adult admission for one night and $10 for ages 16 to 18. Tickets for both nights are $25 for adults and $15 for students 16 to 18. Children under 16 will be admitted free with paying adults.

The Naturalist's Corner

This year will mark the 117th annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC.) The CBC is the longest-lived and largest citizen-science project in the world.

The count began in 1900. It was the brainchild of Frank Chapman, one of the officers of the fledgling Audubon Society. Chapman created the “bird census” as an alternative to the traditional Christmas “side-hunt,” a contest where groups would shoulder their arms and hit the fields and/or woods — the team that came back with the greatest number of corpses would be declared the winner.